New Delhi:
The National People's Party (NPP) appointed former chief minister of Meghalaya Donwa Dethwelson Lapang as the national vice president on Wednesday. In the appointment letter issued, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, also the national president of the NPP, said, “In exercise conferred upon me under Article 11 of the constitution of the NPP, I am pleased to appoint you as national vice president of the party.”
Lapang, a five-time chief minister who was associated with the Congress for over four decades, headed the party in the Meghalaya till December 2017. He quit the Congress last year, accusing the leadership of adopting a policy of "phasing out" senior leaders. “Lately the AICC has been embarking upon a policy of phasing out senior and elderly people. In my opinion it means the service and contribution of the senior and elderly people is no longer useful to the party,” Lapang stated in his resignation letter.
In 1972, he became MLA from Nongpoh constituency as an Independent candidate. In 1992 till February next year, he served as the state chief minister. On March 4, 2003, he was sworn in as the chief minister again. He resigned from the position on June 15, 2006 due to dissidence in the coalition government, reports News18.
Lapang again became the chief minister in March 2007. After the Congress won in the March 2008 Assembly election, Lapang was sworn in again on March 10, 2008. But with support of only 28 members from the 60-seat legislature, he resigned on March 19. He became the chief minister for the fourth time on May 13, 2009, after the state was under President's Rule for two months.
